


A Heart Full of Rain

by anhydrousMonsoon



Series: The Sum of Our Parts [2]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Coming of Age, Fluff, Freeform, Friendship, Gay Character, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Muteness, Platonic Relationships, Playlist, Queer Themes, Sign Language, Some coarse language, Trans Character, chapter songs, ftm character, love and support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25207375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anhydrousMonsoon/pseuds/anhydrousMonsoon
Summary: This is the story of a mute troll and a ball of sunshine blood elf who support each other, love each other, and help each other grow into who they truly are. A short, comforting coming of age story! Join these two youngsters as they embark on an adventure to tame a hunter's first pet, and follow them as they find their place in the world.This work is largely freeform, using game settings and lore as a framework for my ideas. Can be read separately or as part of the series 'The Sum of Our Parts'.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: The Sum of Our Parts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826143
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello again y'all. this is a prequel of sorts to the previous work.  
> back at it again with character projection- Lokabrenna's experiences are similar to my own, I'm not trying to imply that these experiences are universal.
> 
> italics symbolize inner thoughts, and "italics in quotes" symbolize sign language.  
> Each chapter has its own song, and I made a playlist for this fic which also includes a few extra songs that match its vibes.
> 
> Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0sKQlGeoh179beCcq5GmXO?si=nG3FYoDCQlWwC3nrQGp6KQ  
> (playlist title: 'A Heart Full of Rain fic', by summerlynx97, profile name Orin)
> 
> Chapter song: Don't Go Tellin' the Whole World- Gus Black

Before he was Lokabrenna, the north star and the rain bringer, before he was Kalu’ak, he was an orphan, a lonely child of Durotar. In that dark and cloudy past, she was Da’abi, she was the drowned and the voiceless and the frozen. Her heart was raw and filled with icy pain, her sorrow and loneliness at once overwhelming her and preparing her for a new life, her true life.

But that comes much later. First, she must make a friend, her first friend. It can be difficult navigating life alone, and she’ll need some help.

*************************************************

The sun was high, and bright, and hot, but then, it always was. Durotar was dry and stifling in the summer, the red desert rocks shimmering with stored heat. The adults of the village were hard at work, repairing the damages from a recent but mild flash flood. There were, thankfully, no casualties, which was a rarity in this area. The summer floods came without warning, the only hint of their approach given by far off thunderheads, often no more than an inky smear across the horizon. The tribal elders would shake their heads, muttering about the loa, sure that the village had somehow upset them and was now paying the price, but the others would simply brush them off and continue their repairs. If you listened closely, though, over the steady hammering and idle chatter, you might hear faint prayers falling from the lips of a few of the older trolls.

As the adults worried and worked, the children played, chasing each other in mock battles, casting gibberish spells and laughing as they tumbled over one another, having fun and causing a mild, harmless sort of chaos within the village.

All but one.

One child was left out, ostracized by her peers. The grownups, when they spoke of her, used hushed tones, suspicion and condescension heavy in their voices. She was alone, an orphan, a victim of a devastating flood from a neighboring village. She was the only survivor, and was taken in out of a sense of responsibility rather than any sort of kindness or charity. Trolls valued strength and fighting spirit above all else, and this child had neither. But the most dangerous gossip came from the village elders, who whispered of a cursed child, spreading rumors that she was the one responsible for the flood that devastated her village, the floods that now washed away the edges of this one. Surely the loa had taken her voice as punishment for her sins, whatever they might be, and now her presence was drawing their ire once more.

None of this was true, of course. Although she was, in fact, mute, this was not the result of a supernatural curse. It was just part of who she was. Her memories of her family were vague, but she remembered her mother teaching her how to sign, how to speak with her hands where her voice failed her. Her mother had also been born mute, and she had loved the gentle, precise movements of her hands as they spoke to one another in their special language. Her parents had told her that people like them were blessed by the loa, their voices given in exchange for the promise of greatness. She wondered what her future had in store for her, that the loa had not only taken her voice but her home and family as well.

She could not speak her name, and so Da’abi was the name given to her by the village elders, a heavy, cold name, meaning ‘drowned one’. Da’abi’s attempts at communicating with her new village fell flat. None of the adults understood the meaning behind what they saw as nonsensical flapping, and the other children avoided her, the one their parents warned them about, the bad and dangerous child who had been cursed by the loa.

She never cried, but then, she never smiled either. Her face was still, stoic, a mask meant to protect whatever heart she had left.

Her life went on like this until, one fateful day at summer’s end, she met someone new. He was a young boy, about her age, and different from the others in the village. His skin was pale, his hair as red as blood, and his eyes were as bright and golden as the sunlight gently baking the earth beneath him. He was as thin and scrawny as a willow switch, but stood straight and tall, instead of the easy slouch of her kin. There were two others like him, older and wearier, setting up a small camp on the outskirts of the village. She sat a small distance away, quietly watching as he helped what must be his parents unpack and settle in, before following them into the village to speak with the tribe’s leader.

She was able to hear most of their conversation without being noticed. It seemed as though these strange newcomers were refugees, fleeing the invasion of their home in Kalimdor. The old troll, while gruff and a bit rude, nevertheless extended his welcome to the three strangers, on the condition that they contribute their skills to the village, assisting with hunting and defense. They shook hands and turned to leave, but were stopped before they could step away. The chief pointed at Da’abi and muttered something, too quiet for her to hear. The adults’ faces remained impassive, but the boy had a strange expression, and instead of following his parents back to their camp, he made his way towards her. She didn’t know if his expression meant trouble, but before she could slip away he held out his hand and smiled at her, his face full of the same sunlit warmth that poured from his golden eyes.

“Hi! Wow, your skin is so cool, purple is my favorite color ever! I’m Kath’renirion! Who're you? Your tusk thingies are super neat!”

She looked at him, her mouth closed and hands still, her expression cautious.

_Is this a trick? Why is he being so friendly? And why is he so excited?_

A look of understanding passed over his face, and he nodded before speaking again, his words sympathetic. “It’s okay if you can’t say my whole name, don’t worry! I know it’s pretty long.” He pointed over his shoulder, back towards his parents. “They wanted a proper Sin’dorei name, but you can call me Kacchan if you want! That’s what my friends called me back home, anyways. What’s your name?”

She paused, and slowly signed her name, her fingers stiff from remaining silent for so long. “ _My name is Da’abi. What is S-I-N-D-O-R-A-Y?”_

He frowned, but only for a second before quirking his head to the side. “Can you not talk?” His voice was curious, and not unfriendly.

Da’abi nodded, her face impassive.

“Oh, so is that what your hands mean? That's how you talk?”

She nodded again.

_This is the longest conversation I’ve had in a while. It’s strange, but… kinda nice._

Kacchan’s face lit up. It was like watching the sun rise. “That is SO cool!! Could you teach me how to do it too? That way we can talk together!”

She blinked once, twice. A small, tentative smile began to peek out through her mask, and she nodded again. “ _I’d like that.”_

“Was that a yes? Or a no? It’s okay if you don’t want to, I just wanted to be friends if that’s okay with you!”

Her smile grew, and she nodded her head once more, emphatically.

“Really? Awesome! You wanna go meet my parents?” His excitement was contagious, and as the two went back to his family’s camp, Da’abi found that smiling was easy, once she had something to smile about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: There Is No Prize- Tigers on Trains
> 
> yes his name is the same from my hero academia. don't @ me.  
> (i'd already made him as a character before thinking of writing about him, so the name stuck, but he's a huge softy, dw)

As the summer shifted into fall, Da’abi found herself settling into a comfortable groove with Kacchan and his family. His parents were welcoming, much more than the other trolls in the village, and she was surprised when they also showed interest in learning to sign. They weren’t as quick to pick it up as he was, but their efforts were genuine and she enjoyed the time the four of them spent together.

“ _Is this what having a family is like?”_ Her question was blunt and honest, and she was confused when his parents’ eyes filled with tears.

“ _Yes,”_ his mother signed, “ _it is. We could-“_ She stopped signing and spoke aloud, her voice thick with emotion. “We could be your family, if you want.”

His father nodded in agreement, smiling and moving his hands in a circle, first finger and thumb together, the other three extended, making the sign for _family._ “You’re always welcome here with us, Da’abi.”

Kacchan grinned and ruffled her dark, wiry hair. “Yeah, dummy! Of course you’re family!” He laughed, and she laughed with him, silent but with unmistakable joy on her face.

*****************

They were both older now, in their early teenage years, and had started thinking about what path they wanted to follow as adults. For Kacchan, the choice was simple. He wanted to be a warrior, like his father and his grandfather before him.

“This way, I’ll be able to protect my family and the other blood elves from ever being invaded again! No Scourge assholes will dare to cross my blades!” He puffed out his chest in a comical show of bravado. He’d become fluent in sign language by this point, and would habitually sign along with what he spoke aloud, something that Da’abi appreciated to no end.

She’d noticed that, over the few years since they’d met, his unfettered warmth and enthusiasm had slowly melted the ice that filled her heart. As these glaciers thawed and flowed, she discovered new parts of herself, goals and dreams that she’d never paid any mind to before. The ice became rain, nurturing the small seeds of hope within her soul. Most were simple things, interests and desires and plans for the future, but a few were more complicated, their roots tangled around things she didn’t have the words for. Not yet, anyways.

“ _I think… I would like to be a hunter. It sounds nice, having a partner, a friend, to go through life with,”_ but she let her hands drop to her lap after a moment, her face sliding back into her mask.

They were at one of their favorite spots, near the banks of the river that separated Durotar from the Barrens, hidden under the shade of an old, washed-out bridge. Kacchan looked over at her with concern as she tore up small handfuls of grass from where they sat, not-so-casually keeping her hands busy so she didn’t have to speak. He skipped a few rocks across the water, passing some to Da’abi so she could do the same.

_I may not be the smartest guy out there, but I can tell when someone needs space to think._

After a while, she nudged him in the ribs, letting him know she was ready to talk. He turned to face her, attentive and patient while she sorted out what she wanted to say.

_“I really do want to be a hunter, but no one in the village will teach me. They all think I’m cursed, a bad omen, and I’m afraid it’s spread to your family as well. But I know, if I just had a chance to prove myself, I could do it.”_

He nodded his head, and sat there quietly for a moment before brightening up, an idea forming in his mind. “I know what we could do! My mom used to be a hunter, I bet she could teach you! She really likes you, you know! It’ll be so much fun, we could train together! Me and dad, and you and mom! The best, most kick-ass family ever!” He hugged her tight, his voice excited and cracking slightly, “And don’t worry about what the village thinks of you, or our family. That old chief tried to tell us to avoid you, but me and my parents both thought he was full of shit. So, what do you think? Sound like a plan?”

Da’abi nodded enthusiastically, her heart full and her mind racing at the bright future opening up to her. He whooped and cheered, punching the air and laughing, his smile the envy of the sun itself.

She giggled and squinted, shading her eyes at his antics, and he quirked his head in confusion.

“What’re you doing that for, D?”

 _“Too bright. You're like the sun.”_ She grinned at him before turning towards the river. “ _I bet I can beat you across!”_

“Hah! Challenge accepted, _and_ I bet I can hold my breath the longest!”

By the time they made it back to the village, the sun was setting and they were soaking wet, exhausted, and thoroughly pleased with themselves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: Tenuousness- Andrew Bird

Panting and out of breath, Kacchan sat down on the sidelines of the training yard, pulling off his shirt and nursing his bruises, finished for the day. Across from him, Da’abi and his mom ran through archery drills, working their way through yesterday’s lessons before moving on to new material. Today, she was learning how to draw a special kind of arrow out of her focus, the energy that gave hunters an edge in ranged combat.

“Remember, pay attention to your heartbeat. The space between the beats is where you gather your focus,” the older blood elf said, signing along to the words she knew, “and when you feel ready, let the arrow go.”

The young troll took a deep breath, quieted her mind, and took the shot.

Her arrow hit the target dead center, pale blue sparks cascading to the ground in a small arc.

“Wonderful! If that were an enemy, they’d be stunned for a good half minute, at least!” His mother’s words were cheerful and impressed, and Kacchan joined in, hollering from the sidelines.

“Aw yeah! Great job, D! You’re a freaking _natural_!” He stood up and did a goofy victory routine, waving his hands in the air and kicking his feet out in an exaggerated dance.

Da’abi couldn’t stop herself from laughing at the sight of him, his gangly arms and legs flailing about in excitement. But as her gaze fell to his bare chest, she felt a painful twinge in her own. They were both beginning to mature, physically, each in different ways. He was getting taller, broader, his voice growing deeper, and her hips and chest were beginning to fill out, each of them drawn inexorably towards a predetermined future.

 _This is how it’s supposed to be. So why does it feel so_ wrong _?_

The forgotten seed in her heart, so deeply tangled and confused, began to unravel.

 _I want to be like him, not like…_ this.

As the weeks passed and their training came to a close, she tried to ignore that strange seed, that frustrating and miserable train of thought with no foreseeable solution. Her mood darkened, her long discarded mask slowly slipping back onto her face. Kacchan noticed, of course, but he assumed that the attitude of the village towards her efforts to become a hunter were slowly starting to get to her.

It was his idea for the trip to the Barrens. Her last lesson as a hunter was to tame a pet, to find a companion for her life’s journey and forge a bond with it.

They set out at the next sunrise, packs with food and supplies on their backs, and his parents’ advice in their minds- _keep each other safe, avoid enemies, stay on the road._ Da’abi had brightened up as they set out, and Kacchan filled the silence with jokes and stories until night began to fall, and they set up camp for the night. They slept soundly, each dreaming of what their future may hold. His dreams were considerably brighter than hers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: Home- Cavetown

As they walked down the empty dirt road further inland, they chatted companionably. Kacchan adopted a kind of sideways, shuffling gait, so he could pay attention to Da’abi’s signs while still keeping an eye on the road. He’d occasionally stumble over small rocks, but took it in stride and began exaggerating his falls, drawing an amused snort from his friend.

“So, what kind of animal do you think you’ll tame? I bet something really badass, like a raptor! Ooh, or maybe a cheetah? Ooohh, or what about-“

She grinned and shook her head, elbowing him to stop talking, which he did, eyes burning with curiosity.

“ _There’s one creature in particular I’d love to find. I’ve heard stories about him in the village. He’s a huge, black lion, ruling over a whole pride of lions out here. He’s supposed to be bad luck, an evil spirit, but,”_ she rolled her eyes derisively, “ _I think they just say that because no one’s ever been able to tame him.”_

Kacchan’s eyes were wide as he gaped at her. “A cursed, bad luck lion. Who _no one_ has been able to tame? Are you _sure_ that’s what you want to go with?”

She nodded firmly, her shoulders squared in determination. “ _A cursed lion for a cursed troll. We’re a perfect fit. And,”_ she stuck her tongue out, “ _it’d be a big ‘screw you’ to the other hunters in that awful village.”_

He grinned and punched her shoulder, lightly. “Hell _yes_ , girl! Go for it, I know you’ll make that lion your best bud in _no_ time! He’ll take one look at you and go ‘ _finally,_ a hunter of _quality_ ’!”

Her stomach rolled slightly when he called her _girl_ , but she refused to acknowledge the feeling and instead listened to Kacchan ramble about his training and the new moves he’d been working on, explaining the proper way to dual wield big swords, before moving on to a favorite conversation topic of his: crushes.

He was a huge softy at heart, underneath the raging hormones and general confusion that went with the territory of being a teenager, and she humored him. They both knew she was probably the worst person to ask for dating advice- she felt no desire or interest towards intimate relationships in the slightest, but sometimes he just needed someone to talk _at_ , and she was a great listener.

His current infatuation was one of the trolls from the village, a strapping young rogue who was more muscle than brains- not unlike Kacchan, except for one key element- while her friend was unwaveringly kind and compassionate, the rogue was mean-spirited and rather immature. He’d spend his leisure time teasing the younger kids, and thought nothing of a little light thievery, but Kacchan’s mind saw the muscles, and the crooked smirk, and stopped there.

“I know he’s a little on the rough side,” he began, but changed tack as Da’abi rolled her eyes. “Okay, a _lot_ on the rough side, but I’m sure he just needs a good influence! I can help him become a better person, I bet.”

She put her hand on his shoulder, grabbing his attention, a small but genuine smile on her face. _“I’m sure you could, K, but… it would drain you in the long run. Besides, what about the blood elf you always talk about, back in Silvermoon?”_

He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. “Yeah, you’re right… I guess I’m just a sucker for cute boys!”

They came to a fork in the road. Ahead lay the Crossroads, but they turned left, following landmarks Da’abi remembered from the stories she’d heard in the village.

_“We can camp here for the night. That big tree up ahead is where the black lion is supposed to live, but I think I’ll need a good night’s rest before I try taming him.”_

“Sounds like a plan, my man!” As they unpacked, Kacchan noticed the way his friend’s countenance brightened ever so slightly at his comment, and he compared it to the way her shoulders had dropped when he’d called her ‘girl’, back on the road.

He was by no means an expert on gender identity, but he was aware that the Sin’dorei were known for having a very _relaxed_ approach towards things like that. For instance, he’d never gotten a single odd look when he began showing interest in his male peers, and he knew of several blood elves who saw their birth genders as a sort of suggestion, rather than a predestined role, and moved between and beyond them in a sort of ethereal, graceful dance, impossible to pin down and unapologetically genuine in their self-expression. The trolls, however, had a much stricter view towards these things, which was why he only talked about his crushes with Da’abi.

_I need to be tactful with this… which I suck at. Well, here goes!_

He cleared his throat, trying to build the campfire as casually as possible. “So, dude, my man, bro, how are we feeling? I bet you’re hella excited for tomorrow, huh, my good and friendly dudebroman?” He had to sign out that last word letter by letter.

_Hah! Nailed it._

She raised an eyebrow. “ _Yes, I am quite excited for tomorrow, my,”_ pause, _“D-U-D-E-B-R-O-M-A-N. Why are you using all these new words?”_

He cringed slightly. “Ah, you caught me. I noticed you seem to like masculine terms better than feminine ones, so I thought that might make you smile!”

It did.

“ _I didn’t realize you’d noticed. That was kind of you, but you aren’t obligated to pretend I’m something I’m not. It’s a ridiculous way to feel, and I don’t understand why I feel this way.”_ She sighed, watching the fire flicker between them. “ _I’ve been ignoring it. Hopefully it will go away soon.”_

He got up and went to sit next to her, his face open and supportive. “But what if it doesn’t? What if it’s who you are?”

She sniffled quietly, and he was shocked to realize she was crying, tears dripping down her face softly, falling like raindrops onto her folded hands.

“Oh man, oh jeez, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you cry, honest!” He hugged her tight, like he was trying to squeeze the sadness out of her. “I just, I just meant that, it’s okay! It’s normal! Where I’m from, there’s tons of people like you!”

She pulled back from the embrace and looked at him, her expression no longer sad but hesitantly curious. “ _There’s other people? Like me?”_

He nodded emphatically, his voice subdued but still excited. “Yeah, tons! Some of them were born as women but inside they’re men, and the other way around, and there are some who aren’t either! Or they’re both! You’re not alone in this, I promise!”

She wiped away her tears, her signs hesitant but insistent. “ _I… I don’t even know where to start. What do I do now? What do they do?”_

He tapped a finger against his chin, trying to remember the people he knew back in Silvermoon. “Well… for starters, what do you feel like? Do you feel like a he, or a they, or something else?”

_“A he, for sure. I want to be like you.”_

“Aw man, you’re gonna make me blush! Okay, so, you’re a he. I think the next step is choosing a new name, if you want one. And there’s no rush! You can take as long as you need to, and I can help you test it out!”

She nodded and smiled, a bit damp but genuine and pure. It was like the sun peeking out through rain clouds.

 _“This is a lot to take in, but I’m excited. It feels like a huge weight has left my chest._ " She made a face. “ _S_ _peaking of my chest… is there anything that can be done about it?”_

“Well… I’m not sure, honestly. But I bet my parents will have some ideas! So don’t stress, friend!”

_“I’m a little nervous to tell them, not to mention how the village will react... but, if all goes well tomorrow, I don’t think I’ll need to worry about them. The cursed child with the cursed beast- they’ll probably just pretend I don’t exist!”_ The young troll smiled bitterly at the thought.

“I’ve got your back, so don’t worry about what they think! Me and my parents, we’re _your_ family too, and we’ll stand by your side!”

 _“Thank you, K-A-T-H-R-E-N-I-R-I-O-N_. _Now, get some sleep. It’s gonna be a long day tomorrow.”_

“Yessir!”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: We Are the Kids- Walk the Moon

Kacchan stood a ways away from where Da’abi sat, watching the black lion. The hunter was right, the beast was _huge_ , and _very_ intimidating. Or, it was intimidating to Kacchan. His friend didn’t seem even the least bit nervous. They’d been there for the better part of two hours, just looking at each other, sizing each other up. Every so often, Da'abi would move a little closer towards the lion, paying close attention to its body language and shifts in mood. He’d move so slowly that it was almost imperceptible, until suddenly he was at the lion’s side. Neither of them seemed surprised at this, though Kacchan had almost bitten his nails clean off in anticipation.

Slowly, so, so slowly, Da’abi reached out towards the lion and froze, his hand inches away from its face. Equally cautious, the lion sniffed at the outstretched limb, almost delicately, before rumbling softly deep in its chest and running its rough tongue over his fingers in a single, swift lick.

The troll opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it abruptly, leaning closer as if to listen to something the great cat said. He nodded softly, and brought both hands to rest on either side of the lion’s head, fingers cushioned by its thick, black mane. The lion closed its eyes and brought its head up, meeting the troll’s forehead in a gentle nudge.

A few moments of reverential silence passed. Looking around, Kacchan noticed with a start that the other, tawny lions in the pride had slowly circled the pair, sitting completely still, solemnly keeping vigil as the intimate ritual commenced, guarding their leader as he gave his companionship to the hunter they all deemed worthy.

Suddenly, the pride broke away, going back to their scattered positions around the tree, yawning and stretching, without a care in the world. Da’abi and the black lion did the same before heading back towards Kacchan’s secluded outlook, the lion’s side brushing against the hunter’s legs in a companionable sort of way, as if marking him as the lion’s own.

Kacchan was equal parts excited and anxious, his voice only shaking a little bit as he greeted his friend. “So, um, I guess it worked? Congratulations!”

Da’abi smiled at his friend’s nervousness. “ _Yes, it worked just fine. You don’t need to be afraid of him, he won’t hurt you. He knows you’re my friend.”_

“Oh, wow! Okay, then, um, hello Mr. Lion! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Kacchan, and I’m so glad you chose Da’abi to be your friend too! What’s your name?” He looked at the lion, and then the troll, unsure whether he should speak to him or to the lion directly.

The lion made that same rumbling sound again, almost as if it was laughing at the young warrior, and Da’abi grinned in response.

“ _He told me_ _his name, Aryeh. And he gave me mine, L-O-K-A-B-R-E-N-N-A. He said it means ‘the north star’ and ‘rain bringer’.”_ Lokabrenna glanced down at the lion for a moment before continuing his train of thought. “ _We can understand each other, but without words, or signs. He told me that the space where my voice should be was a mark, a sign that I was meant to find him. All the other hunters who tried to tame him were too full of words, too full of themselves and their wants, and they tried to use violence to subdue him. He’s meant to be a partner, an equal, and for that to happen, the hunter needs to have an empty heart for him to fill.”_ His eyes filled with tears, but they were born of joy, and Aryeh nudged its head underneath his hand, soliciting a smile and a few scratches from the troll. _“And he did. My little storm cloud took my empty heart and filled it with rain.”_

Kacchan exhaled, deeply. This was all a bit too complex for him to follow, and it felt oddly… private, _intimate_ , almost. He was incredibly grateful that his friend had allowed him to witness such a spiritual event.

“So, Lokabrenna, huh? I gotta say, that’s a wicked sounding name! Nice going, man! And you too, Aryeh! I’m so glad you two found each other!”

Lokabrenna turned to his friend, eyes alight with excitement. _“Oh, I didn’t even tell you the best part! He_ knew _, as soon as he smelled me, he_ knew _I wasn’t a woman! My body and my soul scents didn’t match, apparently.”_

“Is that, uh, is that a… a _good_ thing? Good news?”

“ _Y-E-S, yes it’s good news! It feels… validating, somehow. Like, it’s proof that I’m on the right track, I guess.”_

“Well, awesome! This is so sick, dude, I can’t wait for him to meet my parents!”

Aryeh nudged the troll, roaring softly, and he laughed at the lion’s antics. _“I think he’s excited, too. Let’s get going, D-U-D-E-B-R-O-M-A-N.”_

“You’re not going to let that go, huh?”

“ _Not a chance.”_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: The Ghosts of Beverly Drive- Death Cab for Cutie

Kacchan, Lokabrenna, and Aryeh’s arrival at the village caused a bit of a stir. Well, perhaps a bit more than a stir. It would perhaps be more accurate to say that their arrival at the village caused a complete and total clusterfuck. The hunter and the lion were expressly forbidden from entering the village on pain of… well, pain, and Kacchan and his parents were told in no uncertain terms that, if they persisted in associating with the ‘loa-damned wretch and HER cursed death omen of a pet’, they would also be ejected from the village grounds.

Suffice to say, the five of them turned around and never looked back.

They lived on the outskirts of Orgrimmar for a few months, before receiving word that Silvermoon had been (mostly) purged of the Scourge invaders. The blood elves returned to their homeland with a plus two, and that was where Lokabrenna and Kacchan spent the rest of their teenage years, and some of their early adulthood as well.

They worked tirelessly to cleanse the edges of the city from the lingering Scourge forces, improving their own skills and saving every bit of coin they earned until they could afford a small flat near the city gates, with a back door that opened directly into the Eversong Woods. Aryeh’s favorite pastime was chasing the young dragonhawks through the trees, though the lion never actually harmed any of them (a courtesy it did not extend towards the Scourge it hunted with its master).

Lokabrenna learned more about himself during his time in Silvermoon than he had the whole rest of his life put together. He met people from every walk of life, with every imaginable attitude and preference towards romance and intimacy. He found a huge, thriving community of people whose relationship to gender was just like his, and every new day was like the dawning of a new life. He experimented with different clothes, he learned new dialects of sign language, he found the words and signs to describe himself, and, most importantly, he made an appointment with a medical mage to alter his appearance to better fit who he was. He was left with two small scars on his chest, but the sheer euphoria and freedom he felt after going out shirtless for the first time was worth a hundred scars.

Eventually the time came, as it is wont to do, for Lokabrenna, Aryeh, and Kacchan to part ways. Kacchan had accepted an invitation to join the Argent Crusade, and left for the Plaguelands with many hugs, happy tears, and promises to keep in touch.

Lokabrenna and Aryeh took some time off in the Arathi Highlands, just to explore, simply enjoying being with one another. After about a year apart, among their regular correspondence, he received a gilt-edged invitation to a wedding.

“I’m getting married! I met a wonderful dwarf in the Plaguelands! He’s a crazy fighter just like me, and he has grenades! And a harpoon gun! And a pocket crossbow! And he makes the most beautiful jewelry! And he’s a hunter just like you, ‘Brenna! He has a big friendly wolf named Firebrand, and he is really good at fetch! And the wedding is gonna be at Light’s Hope Chapel and our friends from the caravan are gonna be there and we really hope you can make it! His name is Ruthian, by the way! Okay, bye!!! P.S. Please bring Aryeh!! Ruthien would love to meet him!!”

The wedding was small, and was only interrupted once by a Scourge attack, which pretty much went with the territory up there, or so Lokabrenna assumed. Ruthian was, apart from the height, almost the exact double of Kacchan. He could barely get a sign in edgewise between the two new grooms, but Kacchan was happy, and so Lokabrenna was happy. He was proud that his oldest friend had found what he wanted and grabbed on with both hands.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: Hard World- Murder By Death

A few years had passed since then, and he and his faithful lion had carved out a small life for themselves among the Kalu’ak of Northrend. Kaskala, while small, was surrounded on all sides by the beauty and majesty of the Borean Tundra. This land was vastly unexplored, and it was the first true home Lokabrenna and Aryeh had found.

The Kalu’ak were very welcoming to the two of them, though that may have had more to do with all the fish they brought with them than any judgement of their character. The pair spent their time providing for and defending the village, exploring, and stargazing. Lokabrenna had made several friends in the village, and Aryeh was very popular with the younger tuskarr, especially in games of hide-and-seek. The lion would intentionally ‘miss’ their hiding spots, and dramatically fall over in exaggerated surprise when they leapt out at him, full of giggles at their success in ‘fooling’ him.

The troll was silently grateful that none of the older tuskarr seemed to notice, or care, about the scars on his chest, or any small differences in his build that were incongruous with the typical male troll physique. As long as he pulled his weight with the tribe, he was welcomed as family, simple as that.

He still kept up regular correspondence with Kacchan and Ruthian as they kept him up to date with their Argent Crusade adventures, and while his letters were considerably less action-packed, he knew it didn’t matter. His friends loved him for who he was, and he them.

However, today’s mail was different. As the prayer flags flapped gently in the chill breeze, he read the newest letter from his best friend.

“Hi ‘Brenna! Me and Ruthian are in Northrend! We have a really big assignment from the Argent Crusade! We’re going to Zul’drak! And we made two new friends and they are coming with us!! Their names are Orion and Hatebite and they’re cross-faction just like me and Ruthian!! Would you and Aryeh like to come too?? It’ll be so much fun I bet!! Okay, bye!! P.S. You can send your mail to Valiance Keep! Okay bye!”

His reply was on its way to the Keep before the sun had reached its zenith.

“Absolutely. You’ll find us both in Kaskala. See you soon- L+A”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another open ending... gasp...
> 
> can you tell i have a thing for northrend?
> 
> thanks for reading! i gotta say, out of all my characters, Lokabrenna is who i feel closest to. read into that however you want. 
> 
> see you later... perhaps.


End file.
